It is important to outline the principles that the church believes in. Our beliefs are scriptural based, and our foundation can be traced back to the first church of Jesus Christ and the Apostles. In this section we will not attempt to explain all of the principles held by our churches nor go into much detail concerning history. But we will briefly outline those critical principles which will lay a solid foundation for your membership.

The Church

Christ established the Church (the universal body) during His ministry; He was its head and gave it His promise of perpetuity and blessing (Matt 16:18; 18:17; 28:20; 1 Cor 12:28; Eph 5:23; Col 1:18) The church was a local body of baptized believers (John 4:1; Matt 28:19; Acts 2:47; 5:14; 14:23; 15:41; Rom 16:16; Rev 1:4). Each church governed its own affairs under the leadership of the Spirit; it received members, withdrew fellowship from the disorderly, and restored fellowship to those who repented (Matt 18:17; 1 Cor 5:3-5; Acts 15:22; 2 Cor 8:19; Rom 14: 1; 2 Thess 3:6; Gal 6:1). To the church Christ gave the ordinances and the Great Commission, and through it He is to be glorified (Matt 28:19-20; 1 Cor 11:23-26; Eph 3:21).

There are two requirements for salvation. First you have to accept the Lord Jesus Christ. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. (1 Timothy 2:5-6, NIV) Jesus bridges the chasm of sin separating us from God. We human beings are separated from God by sin, and only one person in the universe is our mediator and can stand between us and God and bring us together again—Jesus, who is both God and man. Jesus’ sacrifice brought new life to all people.

The second requirement is that you repent. Repentance is absolutely necessary. True repentance is turning away from the sin and never returning to it. This must be from the heart and not the head in order for it to more than mere remorse.

Salvation cannot be earned. We become Christians through God’s unmerited grace, not as the result of any effort, ability, intelligent choice, or act of service on our part. However, out of gratitude for this free gift, we will seek to help and serve others with kindness, love, and gentleness, and not merely to please ourselves. While no action or work we do can help us obtain salvation, God’s intention is that our salvation will result in acts of service. We are not saved merely for our own benefit, but to serve Christ and build up the church (Eph 4:12).

The Meaning and Purpose of Baptism

Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer’s faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior, the believer’s death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. (Col 3:1; 2 Tim 2:11) It identifies us with Christ and with the community of believers. It is a condition of discipleship and a sign of faith. It is a part of the great commission (Matt 28:18-20)

The Meaning and Purpose of The Lord’s Supper

The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church through partaking of bread and fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the redeemer and anticipate his second coming.

The Lord’s Supper has many important dimensions. Each name we use for this sacrament brings out a different dimension to it. It is the Lord’s Supper because it commemorates the Passover meal Jesus ate with his disciples; it is the Eucharist (thanksgiving) because in it we thank God for Christ’s work for us; it is Communion because through it we commune with God and with other believers. As we eat the bread and drink the wine, we should be quietly reflective as we recall Jesus’ death and his promise to come again, grateful for God’s wonderful gift to us, and joyful as we meet with Christ and the body of believers. (Matthew 26:26-28, NIV; 1 Corinthians 11:26, TLB)

The Lord’s Supper is not to be taken lightly. In reality, no one is worthy to take the Lord’s Supper. We are all sinners saved by grace. This is why we should prepare ourselves for Communion through healthy introspection, confession of sin, and resolution of differences with others. These actions remove the barriers that affect our relationship with Christ and with other believers. Awareness of your sin should not keep you away from Communion but should drive you to participate in it.

Stewardship

Stewardship is utilizing and managing all the resources God provides for the glory of God and the betterment of His creation. Often, stewardship is thought of only in terms of finances, but the Bible teaches that stewardship is a far greater concept, involving how we respond with all of our life to Him who is the giver and sustainer of life? The concept of stewardship centers in our commitment to Jesus Christ. When He becomes our Lord, He becomes Lord of our time, talents, finances, and everything. We realize that we are not our own, but we are bought with a price.

Tithing

The Bible makes the purpose of tithing very clear—to put God first in our life. We are to give God the first and best of what we earn. For example, what we do first with our money shows what we value most. Giving the first part of our paycheck to God immediately focuses our attention on him. It also reminds us that all we have belongs to him. A habit of regular tithing can keep God at the top of our priority list and give us a proper perspective on everything else we have. (Genesis 14:20; Malachi 3:10)

The concept of tithing allows for the financing of the church. Scripture tells us that we should take 10% of our earnings and devote them to God. We are instructed to do this as a symbol of our commitment to placing God first in our lives. It is also an act of obedience. Everything belongs to God. He allows us to use His abundant resources, and we show our belief in Him through our tithes. Tithes also show our trust in God.